Each year, holidaymakers and travellers are conned out of millions of pounds when they find that their holiday, accommodation or flights were all fabricated. Many are left financially ruined or stranded, not to mention the emotional trauma which they go through.
Of the 4,700 victims, the average amount lost per person was over £1,500, an increase of 25% year on year. These individual losses are substantial, but this form of fraud also has other severe effects with almost half of victims saying that it also had had a significant impact on their health or financial well-being. Most worryingly of all, 575 people said the impact on them was so severe that they had to receive medical treatment or were at risk of bankruptcy.
Holiday Channel Manager, Aaron Hackett at PayingTooMuch Holidays said: "Avoid booking holidays or accommodation though social media or local adverts in the newspaper. There is no guarantee that what you are booking is legitimate and if it looks too good to be an unbelievable deal, then it probably is. By booking though companies such as ourselves, you can be rest assured that you will be covered. If you booked a Spanish Villa though a classified advert and it turns out to be an empty plot of land, then you won’t be able to claim back your trip on your travel insurance either. Make sure you see the ABTA and ATOL logos before you book anything.”
Types of holiday booking fraud
Airline tickets – where a customer believes they are booking a flight and receives a fake ticket or pays for a ticket that never turns up. In 2017, flights to Africa and the Indian sub-continent were particularly targeted.
Holiday Accommodation - Fraudsters are making full use of the internet to con holidaymakers by setting up fake websites, hacking into legitimate accounts and posting fake adverts on websites and social media.
Sports and religious trips – a popular target for fraud due to limited availability of tickets and consequently higher prices.
Caravanning – Action fraud reported several consumers reporting being the victim of fraud relating to mobile home holidays.
According to ABTA, the top tips to help avoid holiday booking fraud are:
- Check the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as going from .co.uk to .org.
- Do your research: Don’t just rely on one review – do a thorough online search to ensure the company is credible.
- Check whether the company is an ABTA Member. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website and if you have any doubts, verify membership by visiting our Find a Member section. If you're booking a flight and want more information about ATOL protection or would like to check whether a company is an ATOL holder, then please visit the CAA website.
- Never pay directly into a private individual's bank account.
- You should study receipts, invoices and terms and conditions, and be very wary of any companies that don’t provide any at all. When booking through a Holiday Club or Timeshare, get the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up.
- Use your instincts: If something too good to be true, it probably is.
- Report it: Victims should always contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or register via Action Fraud.
PayingTooMuch.com Holidays sells travel services on behalf of Hays Travel Limited and benefits from Hays Travel's membership of ABTA with membership number P7094. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA's Code of Conduct.
If you would like to book a holiday or would like to find out about our many deals, call us on 01243 213 213 and we will be delighted to help.
